Frequency of Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR Reports)

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an inspection by a trained and competent electrical engineer to look at the fabric of the electrical installation, something which typically remains unseen.  All electrical installations will deteriorate over time, cables can become damaged and fittings can become loose or damaged.

Similarly, the design of the system itself may be out of sync with current requirements if new equipment has been added to the building. BS 7671, Regulation 135.1 recommends that every electrical installation is subject to periodic inspection and testing.

However, it should be noted that, as stated in the introduction to BS 7671, existing installations that have been constructed in accordance with earlier editions of the Standard may not comply with the current edition in every respect, but this does not
necessarily mean that they are unsafe for continued use or require upgrading.

In older buildings you might find:

• Fixed cables coated in black rubber (stopped being used in the 1960s).
• Fixed cables coated in lead or fabric (used before the 1960s).
• A fuse box with a wooden back, cast iron switches, or a mixture of fuse boxes (used before the 1960s).
• Older round pin sockets (or light switches), braided flex hanging from ceiling roses, brown (or black) switches, or sockets mounted in or no skirting boards (used before the 1960s).
• Light switches on the walls or in bathrooms (used before the 1960s).

In terms of who you use to complete this work the person would need electrical competent and is almost always an NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA registered provider, they will be looking to:

1. Record the results of the inspection and testing to make sure the electrical installation is safe to be used until the next inspection (following any work needed to make it safe)
2. Find any damage and wear and tear that might affect safety, and report it
3. Find any parts of the electrical installation that do not meet the IET Wiring Regulations
4. Help find anything that may cause electric shocks and high temperatures
5. Provide an EICR record of the installation at the time of the inspection and for inspection testing in the future.

The table below provides guidance on the frequency of formal EICR inspections of electrical installations and routine EICR checks. (Table extracted from BS7671 IET Wiring Regulations 18th Edition: 2018).